Creative Community Care: Creative Arts Therapy for Asian International Students.
đHello and welcome!
Have you ever felt like a song just perfectly captures your emotions? Or, experienced a rush of feelings from a beautiful picture?
đĄCreativity connects deeply with our emotions and plays a crucial role in supporting our mental health and wellbeing.
So, join Shapes and Sounds creative arts therapists to learn strategies to help you relax, focus and express your emotions alongside a supportive group.
Creative Community Care will be back in semester 2, 2025.Â
Creative Community Care is back for semester 2, 2025.
âď¸Download our info pack to learn exactly what happens!
The Details
đď¸: Tuesday 16th September
â°: 6.30pm - 8.30pm
đ:Â Latrobe University, City Campus. 360 Collins street, Melbourne
You must complete the registration form below to join the session!
Boost your exam confidence!
We're here to support you, creatively this semester.
Build your own music playlists designed to help you manage your mood through exams, assignments and all the pressures you're facing this semester.
đĄNo music or art experience necessary!
Creative Arts Therapy:
Creative arts therapy is an experiential form of psychotherapy that includes expressive modalities such as painting, sculpture, movement, music, as an immersive way of gaining knowledge and insight.
Creative processes can help you to explore and express feelings that may be hard to put to words and find new pathways towards healing.
Creative arts therapy works in conjunction with contemporary neurobiological research into trauma, which suggests that body based awareness effectively addresses emotional and physical anguish.
đ "Art therapy takes the pressure off having to share things that you might not want to. It's less focused on deep conversations about deep mental health themes. The art allowed us to choose how we open up." - 2024 participant.
Are you an international student from Asia?
Thereâs so much stigma around mental health in Asian communities, that it can sometimes make it hard for us to seek help or care for ourselves.
But our mission at Shapes and Sounds is to destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities and we know that doing enjoyable activities like music and art, makes it easier for people to connect with their mental health.
We also know that living and studying in a new country can be really challenging! So these sessions are designed to help you not only connect with yourself, but with others who like music and art too.
"Knowing this group was for Asians made me feel comfortable to share more openly..."
Your support team
Creative Arts Therapists are Master's level qualified mental health professionals who use the creative process (in all forms) to facilitate the exploration of feelings, improve self-awareness and reduce anxiety for clients.
The Shapes and Sounds team is here to support you!
Stef (she/they)
Registered Art Therapist
Stef was raised in Hong Kong and is a second-generation Australian-born Chinese living in Narrm. They are a multi-disciplinary artist and registered art therapist with experience working with a range of clients from ages 13 to 78 in acute and sub-acute mental health, family violence, and disability sectors.
Tanya (she/her)
Registered Music Therapist
Tanya is a first-generation Chinese-Indonesian Australian who spent her early childhood in the vibrant city of Jakarta, Indonesia, before moving to Australia during her teenage years. She is a Registered Music Therapist with diverse experience across mental health, disability, educational, and hospital settings.
Daleney (she/her)
Facilitator Support
Daleney is a second-year student studying Psychology at the University of Melbourne and is interested in pursuing a career in youth mental health. She is Malaysian-Chinese and moved to Australia in 2017. She loves crocheting, listening to music, and trying new food!
In partnership with
What's the session like?
Important information.
âď¸Mental health is no joke.
To make sure that you're safe, and others are safe, we've outlined all our terms, rules and guidelines that you need to agree to.
Make sure you've read this document as you'll be asked to agree to our guidelines to be able to participate.
Read the group guidelines nowFrequently asked questionsÂ
I've never done art or music before! Can I attend?
Is this a replacement for therapy?
Who is this program for?
How many spots are available?
I'm not an international student, can I attend?
I've registered, now what?
If I register, will I be able to attend?
Our 2025, semester 1, program evaluation.
Download our evaluative summary to learn how Creative Community Care supported the mental well-being of Asian international students in semester 1, 2025.Â
This report highlights the culturally-responsive considerations presented by facilitators in their program delivery which may support your work too.
đŹLearn how music therapy can help you!
Say hello to our registered music therapist, Tanya:
đŹAnd what about art therapy?
Learn from our registered art therapist, Stef on the Asian mental health podcast.